A problem with vehicles of the above-mentioned type is the lifting of heavy cargo, often sideways, as well as difficulties in stowing heavy objects at the far end of the cargo space and problems when accessing objects which have been stowed at the far end of the cargo space. Due to these difficulties, heavy objects are often stowed at the outermost portion of the cargo space. This causes, among other things, an incorrect load distribution in the vehicle, and in addition the cargo is incorrectly stowed and might be brought into motion in the event of a collision. Furthermore, a need now arises for heavy objects to be moved whenever one wishes to access cargo which has been stowed deeper into the cargo space.
The advantages of a sliding cargo floor are that unnecessary loads on one's back and legs due to heavy lifting are avoided, and at the same time there is no need to come into contact with potentially dirty objects such as bumpers, sills and tow bars. Furthermore, shopping bags, soft drink crates and the like do not need to be lifted as far into the car, and at the same time heavy objects such as outboard engines and lawn mowers can be stowed close to the front wall of the cargo space (the back of the rear seat) in order to obtain better protection in the event of a collision. A floor which has been slid out can also be used to sit on, or can be used as a table during breaks, and can be made easily removable (without tools) for cleaning. A further advantage is that the floor of the cargo space, which is often covered with a mat, is less exposed to wear by objects which normally must be dragged across the floor.
A floor of this kind is known from International Application No. WO 82/02175, which discloses a sliding floor which runs on rails in a cargo space. The floor consists of a platform formed in one piece, which in one embodiment can be both slid out backwards and be pushed forward over a lowered rear seat.
The drawback of a one-piece platform of this type is that it is not deformable if the vehicle is hit from behind. This causes a heavy load on the forward wall of the cargo space. If this wall consists of the back of a rear seat, the fastening points of the rear seat might break, in which case the back is pressed into the passenger compartment.
The present invention is intended to provide an improved cargo floor which is both slidable, and safe in the event of a collision. In the event of a Collision from behind, it is an advantage if the back of the rear seat is not exposed to in additional load from a sliding cargo floor, since the back of the rear seat must absorb forces both from the fastening points of the seatbelts and the cargo.